Post on 24-Oct-2014
DATA SATAKAMof
'EDANYA DESIKA
English
Commentary
byD.
RAMASWAMY AYYANGAfrADVOCATE, KADRAS,
Published byTtRUMALA-tlRUPATI DEVASTHANAKS. TIRUPATI.
1961
Price
Rs.
3/-
OAYA SATAEAMOF
VEDANTA DESIKA51> ,'
?'
j ,
(A hymn
in praise cf the
Mercy of Lord
S|i;
Venkatcswara)
WITH
COMMENTARYBY
IN ENGIJ[SH;
D.
RAMASWAMYAdvocate, \fadras.
FOREWORDBY
'
The Honourable
Sri P.
V.
RAJAMANNAR,
(Chief Justice, High Court, Madras)
.
INTRODUCTION BYSri C.
"
\
'*
ANNA
RAO,
Executive Officer,
T. T. DEVASTHANAMS, TIRUPVH.
Published by
TIRUMALA-TIRUPATI DEVASTHANAMS PRESS,TIRUPATI.
1961
[Rs. 3/-
Qt
THfc
\ ~_ ']) **.vAjt **.'.* S-iiwawJVfV^*.*>
\
*w
*
Q ANNA17
RA--the Dayaa Satakairu Thanks to the help and co-operation unstintingly extended topieces
of devotional
meSri
by the energetic and devoted Executive Officer, C. Anna Rao, a ">d the Staff of the Tirumala-
Tirupati
Devasthanams
Press,
the
commentary was
published in instalments in 24 consecutive issues of the
Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams Bulletin. And now It is very good it is being issued as a separate book. of Sri C. Anna Rao to have commended the book tothe worshipping public by writing out an introduction, and I thank him heartily for it.
The book has been very lucky in securing the approval and approbation of Sri P. V. Rajamannar, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, and areputed connoisseur of all the noble fine arts. I am very grateful to him for enriching the book by hisnice foreword.
MADRAS-?4
1j
D.
RAMASWAMYAdvocate.
H
1960
has fully brought and described the fundamental truths, the powe ideas and the lyrical beauties of the satakam.Sri
Ramaswamy Ayyangar
to Striking a personal note, what has appealed most in this stotra of haunting loveliness is the %
Desika develops the idea of dayaa, c cribed as Dayaadevi, as an entity peculiarly disti from the Lord Himself, though ultimately dayaa an attribute of the Lord Himself She is capableIn
which
Sri
even reversing the decisions of the Lord to puni: She controls the actions of the Lord, so to say. T swaroopa and the roopa of dayaa are sung in* the 8cfecad
of the poem.
To my mind, Dayaadevi
Is is
i
other than Lakshmidevi herself, because she embodiment of Lord Srinivasa's mercy;
tj
"
Sriaivaasasya Karunaamiva roopiheem
". ,
The concept of dayaa which, as I have alread mentioned, is the 'basis of the doctrine of prapath has a vital place in the Visishtadvaita which I may call as the " Religion of Dayaa/.'Supreme Beingthe,is
also
desire,
Dayaanidhi, Dayaa of the Lord., I)aym.
-is
to every being.Sri
..,.
9Dd a bhaktha.*
cannot be way in which he lias Vedanta Desika: He not have succeeded in his task' as he has, but for tte fact that he himself is a scholar, a philosopherfor the admirable the slokas of Sri?
Ramaswamy Ayyangar
,
,
VrCTORIA CRESCENT,^ MADRAS.!. I 91 1 i960 \ iyW ;"
'
"
p P
'
v V
"
Chief Justice
Evenmring/ay,
like the
on the
holy waters of the sacred Ganga head of a lame man living far
the5
Grace of Lord Srinivasa has descended
mesees
a very unworthy person, and enabled even me write out a commentary on one of the finestof devotionalthelyric
given to
the world by
danta Desika,>
Dayaa Satakam.
Thanks
to
5
help and co-operation unstintingly extended to by the energetic and devoted Executive Officer,C.
Anna Rao, a^dDevasthanams
the Staff of thePress,
Tirumala-
upati
the
commentary was
Wished in instalments in 24 consecutive issues of theumala-Tirupati Devasthanams Bulletin. And now It is very good s being issued as a separate book. Sri C. Anna Rao to have commended the book to
.
worshipping public by writing out an introduction, I thank him heartily for it.
The book has been very lucky
in securing the
roval and approbation of Sri P. V. Rajamannar, ef Justice of the Madras High Court, and aited connoisseur of all ther
noble fine
arts.
I
amhis
grateful to
him
for enriching the
book by
foreword.
DRAS-7
1
D.
RAMASWAMY
Sri
Venkateswara
Swamiwa
Tirwaal
Srimaan Venkata Natharyaha Kavi-tarkika-kesari Vedaantacharyavaryo me Sannidattaam Sada hrdi Hi
Venkatanaatha of auspicious attributes, who is a mong poets and logicians, and who is esteemed and revered 1 s Vedaantacharya May he ever reside and shine resplende
May
Sri
iy heart!
Raamanuja Dayaa Paatram Gnaana Vairaagya Bhooshanai Srimad Venkatanaatharyam Vande Vedaanta DesikamProstrations to Sri Venkatanaatha the Great,eceptacle for the grace of
who
is
a
i
Ramanuja, who shines adorned bythe honorific
2dge and Renunciation, (or is an ornament to knowledge and rention)
and who
is
known by
title
of Vedanta Desika
rst offer
(l)iBefore studying the great works of our ancient Acharyas, we our obeisance to the respective author of each work, and tl
without which the meaning and significance of the wor cannot be properly grasped or understood. Each A< ias got laudatory and invocatory verses sung in his honour and praise test disciple or by one of his followers, and they are known in Tamil as T'btain his grace,.s
several parts
they stand separately from the work proper of the a invariably recited by all before studying any Sanskrit we /edanta Desika.>robably becauseThis
aloka
is
'ariably recited at theF
also a Tanian in praise of Sri Desika. Thii beginning of the study and chanting of the sacred erses of the Alwars, known as the 4000 Divya Prabhandams, by(2)
This sloka
is
D
DAYAA SATAKAMgreat sanctity to the Hill. praise of the Hill, that Hill
Hence the poet starts the stotra with (Tam-Girim) which is well known aris
famous.
The utprekshaSarka|a3
(poetical fancy) is that the Hillis
real
a form of tfeJLorcfs Daya, even as sugar * 'juice.
a form of sugarcaistones or pebble
means
sugar.
It also
means
I!
00\
Vigahe teertha hahulam Seetalam guru santatimSreenivasa dmyuambedheh
Pareemaha Parampamam
"
(
I bathe in the cool and refreshing streams, full of water, whi< flow in uninterrupted continuity ftom that great reservoir whichthe storage of Sreenivasai's Mercy, the streams constituted bytl
heirarchy of acharyas, In that reservoic
whe
shape the Lord's grace flows fro
The author pays his respects to the earlier Acharyas, Eve] act must be done guru-vandana-poorvakam, preceded t paying homage to the guru or Acharya. "Teertha" signifi waterand sflso an Acharya ofrepute (vide teerthapaada, teerthankar
good
It is
a guru santaM or heirarchy. It calculated to destroy our tapa or heat.
*
is
seetalaam'-
cool,-
The acharyas
are hei
is the
enjoyed as the overflow channels- carrying the surplus water whic Daya of the Lord. It is much easier and safer to bathe
i
the waters of running streams than to bathe in a deep and larj lake or reservoir. The suggestion in this sloka is that acharyj
are gracious personages bringing the Lord's Mercy unto
us,
Kxitmah Kamalaaxasa Karunym-kantinobhaje Datte y&t .Saoktiiooj ma Trimdi Sarva Jagyatam\
"(;
I worship those great and blessed persons who solely rely c the Mercy of Lord Sreenivasa to the exclusion of everything else-
those great persons
one and
all
by
their
who rendered the ancient Vedas own works (Prabhandanu)
accessible
i
TheAlwarsare
jefarced.to in this sloka.
postulate the potency of Divine
They were the first Mercy to which alone theylooke
1
DAYAA SATAKAMup, rejecting all other forms atid aids prescribed for God-realisal Their great service to humanity lies in their rendering the mean of the Vedas into the Tamil language and thereby making "V the most relevant portion of it available to one knowledgeall,
irrespective of the caste, creed or "sex differences
which go
The exclusiveness of "V regulate the study of those Vedas. truths was done away with by their Tamil works capable oftandstudied by every one male or female, Brahmin or Non-Brah Kamalaavasa signifies Sreenivasa and also a lotus tank. The Al have sung of the Lord as a Lotus Tank {ftinze&sr &&r 3& &ILJU), Alwars their reference to the Lord as a Lotus Tank com^s tc
mind, (vid e sloka 43 of Daya Satakas post).s
And
that
is
in
the Lord**s peculiar name in this place, Sree-nivasa. another name for Lakshmi.
Kama!
Paraasam mukhan vande Bhageerata naye stitaan Kamalaakanta Kaarunya Gangaaplavita mdd-vidaan
n
To the great Rishis like Parasara, I offer my salutations. because of their indefatigable attempts, even like Bhageerata's, p like me get drenched (wet) with the Mercy of the Consort of Ka(Lakshmi),
The Maharishis of
yore, the great
and
earliest Seers oi
Holy land, are next thought of with gratitude. Paraasara o them has been specially mentioned as the most outstanding am them, as he is the author of Sri Vishnu Purana in which Ihe va divine deeds of the Lord replete with Mercy have been elabo: dealt with. Sage Valmiki finds special mention at the end ostotra,
in the
103rd sloka.
is well known for his steadfast and unda by the force and efficacy of which he brought 'the s Gangaa to this earth. So too by unswerving invocations Dhyaana or contemplation the Rishis have succeeded in m the Lord's compassion available even to us who are as spiritually as the forefathers, sixty thousand in number, of B rata. In the plenitude of our gratitude therefore we ha remember those great Rishis.
Bhageeratha
tapas
6entire
DAYAA SATAKAMworldis
more
at the tran secessions
often than not seized with a feeJing of angi which we mortals in our ignorance are vei
It is
often guilty of. This anger is a serious obstacle to the flow of mere the function of Bhoodevi to remove this obstacle by Ksham
which makes the Lord put up with all our sins an thereby helps us to obtain His mercy. It is this quality of Ksham* wMqh Bhoodevi stands for and symbolises, and inculcates in th(forgiveness),
Lord.theto
So She
way of the
is pictured here as the remover of the obstacles i flow of Daya. It was the function of Vishwaksen
remove the obstacles
in the
way of our seeking God and approach
ing
When we go there we are assure* humility for help. or Krpa which She stands for. Th by Lakshmi of His grace possibility of any barrier in the way of that grace reaching us iall
Him in
removed by Blloodevi.all (everything).It
Viswa-dhaarini means the supporter o
also indicates
puts up with everything
Sarvam-Suha.
one who patiently suffers That is Bhoodevi.
aiac
Nimamayaffhu
maam
Neela Yat bhogapatalayr-dhruvam
\
Bhavitam Sremivaasasya Bhakta dosheshu-adarsanam,It is
(&)
only by May Neela Devi turn her glances on me* of the screen she draws, it were, in front of Lord Sreenivasa by her amorous endearments, that that Lord pretends not to see the
virtue
m
errors (faults and sins) of His devotees-
The
Vaishnavites associate three chief Devis as the Consorts
Lakshmi and Bhoodevi among them are well known. Neela Devi, however, is not so well known, except to very close students of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. When the Lord came down" to this earth as Lord Sri Krishna, Lakshmi took the form of Rukmini, Neela took the form of Satyabhama. In Tamil, Neela is known as Nappinnai (Vide 18th Verse of Tiruppavai). She is the same as Satyabhama of the Srimad Bhagavatha. The part Neela plays in coming to the help of the seekers after theof the Lord.Lord's graceStotra.is
The Lord's fondness towards her makes HimThe analogy usedit is
very nicely put in this sloka by the author of this blind tois
the-sios of His votaries.
Fatalaa
is
what
is
now known
as cataract in the eye.
from Vaidya Sastra. Those who
are given to sexual excesses^
believed in Ayurveda, get cataract.
DAYAA SATAKAM
Asesha Vignasamanam Aneekeswaram aasraye
i
Srfmatah Karunaambodhau Siksha srota ivoththitamI seek shelter
(f
under the Commander-in-chief of the armiealso the destroyer of all obstacles.
(of the
Lord) who
is
He
is likall
and
revived
by Daya.is
a paata JI3 or reading for this sloka in which In that paata the yatu take? the place of sanjeevayati. is May Daya revive me.'
There
san^
me
'
Daya is referred to which means one who
in this sloka as anjanagirinaatha rat
may beshe is
that
it is
because she
delights Anjanagirinaatha (Srinivasa is so dear to the Lord that she iibe
Moon
(Srinivasa) shining on
Tirumalaeven
Hill,
such a person enjoys the
bliss of
Moksha without
fort,
like
a person who reaps
a bumper hearvest without
fling
on the
fields*
uits
In the previous sloka the poet referred to all the phalaas or obtainable from Daya including trivarga and apavarga as ferred to in sloka 10 above. But Daya's great desire is to confererlasting bliss
on all her votaries and she is not satisfied with them only the smaller and impermanent benefits and pleasures. vingr
in this sloka Desika says that if a person is blessed with Daya's itaaksha at the time of his birth he is sure to obtain Moksha.>
(text) which says that if at one is blessed by the gracious glances of adhusoodhana that one becomes a satvika, a gnani and always inks of attaining moksha. This is referred to in Sri Vaishnavae
There
is
a Mahabharata Vakya
time of one's birth,
mpr&d&yate'Jaayamaana Kataaksha. Desika here postulates it it is Daya Devi that impels the Lord to bestow that kataakshacertainj
individuals, of course consistent with their fitness for 'samet^iilvei; :in previous births.
-
DAYAA SATAKAM
23
is what is known as love at first sight. That is, no knowing why that love arises. Daya Devi, it is siad here, carries that unaccountable love of the Lord towards the aspirant and blesses him with a glance from the Lord's eyes. The Lord it would have been noticed has been referred to here as a moon shining on the crest of Vrishaachala. A loving glance from a lovely Person. Bright and effulgent like the moon, Lord Srinivasa bestows His loving and affectionate glances, and the result is that the man or woman who is born under such auspices attain salvations without much ado. Apavarga is Moksha. Akrishtapachyam is The toiler is someone else, crops for which one has not toiled. and he is referred to in the next sloka, where we will enjoy the
Tara Maitreeis
there
grandeur of this sentiment of Desika.
DAYAA SATAKAMTHIRD DECAD[Slokas 21 /o 30first/*
couched
in the
and
third paadaas contain eleven akskaras while the
Oupachchandaslka metre secom
fourth
The general topic of this decad i contain twelve. ha-Subhaga-tanuhu g^gvpTcT^: which is the gist of the thin urium of Nammalwar's Tiruvoimozhi, according to Desikavery second sloka of this decad deals with>/?#)
the
auspiciou.
and
attractive
andit
beautiful (Subhagd) body (tanuhu) oftfa
L
We
shall enjoy
in its place.]
Samayopanataistava pravaahaihi Anukampel kritasamplavaadharitree\
Saranaagata sasyamaalineeyam Vrishasailesa Krisheevalam dhi~noti.n
(21)
Lord's Sympathy personified! This (lady called) Earth gladdens leart of) that Farmer, who has Tirumala as His abode, by wearingirlandslit
rows and rows of crops in the form of Saranaagataas,as of her being drenched (irrigated) by timely and copious showers
mrs.
To a fanner there
is no sight more pleasing than that of his covered as far as eyes can see by luxuriant and stoutstalked Lord Srinivasa is the Farmer here. Crops cannot grow at tuch less can they grow in abundance, unless there is plentiful.
,t
Daya>f
the proper periods in the course of the cultivation operations. is the rain that pours in plenty (pravaaba) and at proper
(samayopanataihi).
Daya
is
Ordinary rain helps crops to grow. The productive of Saranaagataas or Prapannaas those
DAYAA SATAKAMwhoit
of creationis
surrender themselves up to the Lord completely. The pu bringing into being this earth with embodied soito give those souls a chance to
redeem themselves.
\
lack of gnana and shakthi and their conse* unfitness to pursue the prescribed path of Karmayoga, Gnana]realising their
and Bhakthiyoga, they or
at least
many
of them resort to
pr*&&
^/^/J)
Tie
use of the
word Indu or moon
to describe the
Lord here
DAYAA SATAKAMIn theindifferent
29
Puranic churning several objects good, bad and were brought to the surface. There came out poison
as well as nectaretc.
and also the moon, elephants,
horses, trees,
of that churning. All the other objects were distributed to others but the Lord took Lakshmi for Himself. Here the Lord's Div>amangala Vigraha is referredalsoresult
Lakshmi
came out as a
to asis
amrutaamsam the quintessence of amruta. the Lakshmi in this churning.AvaimiI
'
'
The Vigraha
understand; 1 realise. This predicate has been obviously employed here to show to us Desika's conviction that the Lord's image-forms are the quintessence of Daya. It is only when Desika wants that a rare and important Siddhanta or conclusion he has
come to should be properly understood and followed us he employs this word. Vedanta Desika's verdict on any by topic has to be accepted by^all right-thinking men.
Jaladheriva Seetataa
Day el Twam
Vrishasailaadhipathes-swa-
bhaavabhootaaPralayaarabhateenateem
i
tadeekshaam
Prasabham Graahayasiu
prasaththilaasyam.
(23)
Dayadevi! You who are of the essence of Lord Srinivasa's nature, even as coolness is the essential quality of the Sea, force His fearM and destructive looks (responsible for pralaya) into sweet and pleasantlooks responsible for creation and protection, and thereby convert their frightful devil-dance into a sweetpaced and lovely Laasya(dance).I shall become (Para Brahman) looked and said to Itself e Upanishad. The Lord's looks as indithe many Y* so saY s said to be the immediate cating His Sankalpa or will are there cause of creation or projection of the world. Another and differentIt
"
*
^
natured eekshana or look must have been responsible for Pralaya in or destruction. The looks that caused destruction are likened a violent form of this sloka to a dancer indulging in Aarabhati, looks dance (aghora-tandava). At the time of Creation those very terms are again dance. (These indulge in laasya & soft and sweet Aarabhati nortaken from Bharatasastra vide sloka 16 above. ' of a male; laasya is the dancing mally is used for the taandava'
28
DAYAA SATAKAMrealisation of the formless.all
Those who deny the vali forms have necessarily to deny the validity and potency vigrahaas at least in the ultimate, though they also worship " Temples in a condescending way as a concession to the igaoi men who believe that the image is the Gcd," The Alwars and Acharyas, like Ramanuja, Paraasara Bhatta and Desika, hmateof
and
spared no pains to refute such unlearned and ill-informed cri their ways of thinking. This sloka is calculated to estab
that images of the
Lord are as
valid, true'
and
helpful as Daya,'
Lord's Mercy, itself. Though the word Divya Deham mean Divine body will take in all the five forms enumerated above,
Divya deha of Anjanaachala-Indu (Moon of Ti shows that Desika is specially thinking of theArcha Vigrah mala) of the Lord which by way of upalakshana will indicate the otreference to the
four forms also. again in
shall have occasion to refer to this to on several later slokas and so shall not furti commenting elaborate on the same here.
We
The Puraaic churning of Ksheerabdi (ocean of milk) by inse mountain as the churning rod is in the poi That process is adapted here to suit the present point. naiad.ing the Mantharathe upameya, Daya is herself the milk ocean. Being ever sw< aad delectable she does possess all the fine qualities of the ocean.(0r
m
She is as such ocean churned by San-mathi or the intell< desire) of those who answer to the Upanishadic definition
a Sat: 3T%ff||pr=% U The rather general tei without mentioning who that sat is, has been delil San-mathi, ratdy adopted by Desika to take in and suit the several formsarcha such as
%^%
Swayam Vyaktha,
(vide sloka 9 above). is the Lord Himself as
Saiddha, Daiva, Maanusha et The idea is that in Swayamvyakta the S it is His will or Sankalpa alone that is n
ponsible for that aavirbhava or appearance. Similarly the particul Deva or human being respectively at whose invitation t Siddha,
Lord takes a shape or form must be the Sat in each of the cases Daiva and Maanusha respectively. Poigai Alwai Saiddha,pi&yfy&tsp&i
Desika here.butit is
QT/mj^jLr jy^/^^/o) ^5/rSfiw is the authority f The desire of the devotee is the immediate causthatis
Daya
the fundamental cause for all Vigrahaas.the
The use of the word Indu or moon to describeis
Lord he
verv
.
the
rent1
Puramc churning several objects good, bad aru were brought to the surface. There came out poisoiand also the moon, elephants, horses, trees came out as a result of that churning. All th were distributed to others but the Lord took Lakshm'
as nectar
_,akshmi alsoobjectsimself.4
Here the Lord's Div>amangala Vigraha is referre amrutaamsam the quintessence of amruta. The Vigrah Lakshmi in this churning.1
vaimiasly
understand;
1
realise.
This predicate has bee
employed here to show to us Desika's conviction th* It is onJ Drd's image-forms are the quintessence of Daya. Desika wants that a rare and important Siddhanta or cor ti he has come to should be properly understood and followe he employs this word. Vedanta Desika's verdict on an has to be accepted bpall right-thinking men.
ROTaladheriva Seetataa
JUfflfa srafa35HPm
II
(\\
Dave
I
Twam
Vrishasailaadhipathes-sw
bhaavabhootaa^ralayaarabhateenateem
i
tadeekshaam
Prasabham Graahaya(2
prasaththUaasyam.)ayadevi!
You who are
of the essence of Lord Srinivasa's natui of the Sea, force His fear!
as coolness is the essential quality
estructive looks (responsible for pralaya) into sweet
and pleasa
responsible for creation and protection, and thereby convt a sweetpaced and lovely Laas frightful devil-dance intoe).
(Para Brahman) looked and said to Itself I shall becor lany '," so says the Upanishad. The Lord's looks as in
or anger.)
Pratigha means
anger, wrath.is
.
.
Theservant.
structure of the sloka
such that
it
talks
of the Lord
anger becoming a
When
slave to Daya, not of Daya making that anger to all good qualities are her anucharaas (follower
(sloka 11) anger also evidently desires to enlist itself in Daya services. The Lord was referred to as a Farmer or Cultivator
:
sloka 21 above.
That idea
is
developed in this sloka
by
referrir
to weeding operations.
Abahishkruta
nigrahaan
vidantaha
Kamalaakaanta
gunac
svatantratadet
AvikaJparn anugraham duhanaam Bhavateemeva Dayel bhajan
Santah^
(2i
Daya Devi! The trety learned and devout people wlio very w^ know tliat the attributes like uncontrolled independence possessc by the Consort of Kamala (Lord Srinivasa) do not esch^v (but taiin)
punishment, rely only on you wtio uniformly (without &n^ optic or alternative) yield (nothing but) protection.
The idea contained in sloka 1 5 above is pursued here by pointib out how, while all the other attributes of the Lord are common tand punishment, the attribute of Daya alone of protection and protection alone. There the si well-known gunas Gnana, Bala etc., were set off against Daya an' demonstrated to be useless, even harmful,, to us in thp-afesencprotectivenessj
productive
~
being dependent on, or subservient to, anyone eise; are m* ticmed and it is pointed out that they are all useful to, and actua used, by the Lord both for protecting and for punishing. In o tl
words they have not banished nigraha or punishment from the
sec
and ambit of
their activity.
But Daya
is
exclusively there for
purpose, of protection. She does not know what punishment and is therefore uniformly and invariably productive ofprotection alone. ia one of two ways..
or
anugn
With herVikalpa
thereis
scope for act changing, option, alternatis
no
The absence
of
it
is
avikalpa.
Anugraham-duhaanaam
yield
protection even as a
cow
yields milk for the sustenance
of
Its
ortia in the Merchant of Venice) comes into a Court peopled by nen and pleads. Guna is masculine gender. Before that assembly >f men. Daya, a lady, boldly comes and pleads on my behalf,)esika very touchingly says. Luckily there is a lady on the Bench *admavathi. Thfi inrv ic t/^ a/fmej* +^evilBBS who
Daya
Madhava about them when they are in extremis* bereft of and memory, and when their faculties have aH faded away. Soughtportful
in the previous four sk>ka& what tbe Lw (yea) turns out to be false, it tamtamoumts to all the Yedas becoming fake and useless. 3^icf is beginning. Srotiof the Vedas, parishad is, the synod
has said that"
with the word
purport of this sloka is that Dayadevi brings about a where the Lord Himself with His consort is ready to assure situation
humantrie
is a step much in advance of the saastra, referred to in of the Saastrapradana, promulgation
beings of His protection.
This
previous two slokas.
-
If
te Sreyassdotim sakrt apt Dayel mmmataam yas-sakheem drishtwi r svetodaaraam alabhata janas-Sreenivaavasya Dwvawdeenaam ayam anrinataam dehavtvepi vindan
bandhaanmukto balibhir-anaghaihi pooryate
tat prayuktarhi "
(49).
at least once the kataaksha Dayadevi! lhr.t being who obtains which yiel^ (cau^s) beatitude* which is cool and bounof Srinivasa, dear Mend), gets teous, and which is your PRIYA-SAKHI (very even while of all debts which he owed to the devas and others, relieved connected with the body; ami on Ms release from bondage (samsara) load him witk he is worshipped by those very devas and others whofaultless oblations. offerings in the diape of
The opening word of
this
sloka
*
the topic dealt with in this decad. The is the cause of 0ne*& attaining is that the Lord's benign kataksha kataksha is seeta (coci) and ttarrforc sreyas (beatitude). That It is vdamra (gmeroms) aad calculated to banish all taapa (heat).it
indicates sreyas-sootim idea of this sfoka central
*
(chosen friend and is once Tfe intimacy between the Lord's kataakslm and Daya on steka 42> again emphasised. (See commentaryis
Daya's mmmataa
sMee
mm^mm^
76
DAYAA SATAKAMTherecipient
of that kataaksha gets released from the three-
fold debts with which everyone is said to be born, viz., debts due to the sages, the gods, and the manes of the ancestors. This state
of relief from indebtednesstion with, the
is
attained
by him even when
his
connec-
body
continues.
When
that connection ceases the
position gets reversed. The. very devas etc., who were propitaited by that being begin to propitiate him during his ascent to heaven. bandhaat muktaha released from all bondage, balibhihi by
those oblations proffered by the devas etc. The word anaghaihi meaning blemishless used in connection with balibhihi (oblations)is
'
'
intended to emphasise the fact that the offering
is
spontaneous
and voluntary and not in expectation of repayment in one form oranother,
Pooryate
is
filledis
with.
Being the recipient of theall
Lord's divyakataaksha ia the status of a man.free
thus
shown to make
the difference
from
all liability.
His indebtedness is wiped out; he becomes Not only that, but the very persons whom
he served before begin to serve him.In sloka 20 above,is
the kataaksha received
jaayamaana kataksha was referred by a being at the time of his
to.
ThatIt
birth.
was pointed out there that he develops a desire for moksha which is fulfilled without much effort on his part. Pursuing the sametopic here the poet points out a very important stage in the progress of that soul blessed with jaayamaana kataaksha. The next sloka
develops this idea.
fqftftqfcr
Divyaapaangamkshipram/
disasi
Karunel
yeshu
saddesikaatmaKshatrabandhvadayastei
praaptaa
Vrishagiripatim
ViswaacharyaavidhisivamukhaaS'Svaadhikaaroparuddhaha manye maataa jada iva sute vatsalaa maadrise tvam "'
(50).
Devi Karuna! Those, Kshatrabandhu and others, on whom you, in the form of a good Acharya, bestow divine glances, attain Lord Srinivasa very quickly, while Brahma, Siva and other worldteachers are hound down by their office (position). I therefore think~~~.
JL.I1
--- *J.X_J
DAYAA SATAKAM
77
In sloka 48, Daya's drishti (glance) was referred to. In sloka \9 Lord Srinivasa's drishti was mentioned. In this sloka Divyaipaanga (divine glance) has been very deftly used in such a way as ;o bo capable of being interpreted as Lord's apaanga or as Daya's ipaanga, though both really are one. This kataakshabe it the -ord's or Daya's is bestowed by Dayadevi who assumes the form>f
a Sat Desika, a good and pure Acharya, and bestows on us her
>enoficient glances (or secures to us the Lord's kataaksha). It las bc.-^n said that the Lord's good will is one of the causes that iecure to us Acharya-praapti (contact with an
Acharya). Acharyaa sine qua non for obtaining moksha. There is a famous ^urana sloka which says that sinners like Kshatrabandhu, as well is meritorious men like Pundarika, obtained moksha only by laving an acharya.)raaptiis
So Acharya-praapti is ahetu (cause) for sreyas (bliss). This is ;he last of the causes that contribute to one's attainment of bliss
efcrred to in this decad.
In the next decad Desikasurrender).
is
going to deal with sr.racaagati
one of the very essential concomi;ants thereof, viz., Acharya Sambandha is spoken about here. \s the Purana sloka quoted above says, every one has to become * in Aacharyavaan possessed of an Acharya, before attaining noksha. The Upanishad mantra also is to the same effect \charyavaan purusho veda BTRRM^ 35^ %^ (Only that man The importance of the sentiment ivho has an Acharya knows). contained in this sloka cannot be overestimated.'toit,'.
As a prelude
Whatever the Lord does for thebuted to
benefit of
humanity
is attri-
Daya
as being her work.
human form (of an Acharya) the Lord out of mercy rescues sinking humanity by proffering the hand of saastra). This deals with the Lord's assumption of Acharya-roopa or form. The ' * word Kaarunyaat in this sloka indicates that this is an act of[Taking the
n
DAYAA SATAKAMis
Daya, And. that is why Daya of an Acharya (Desikaatmaa),
here said to have taken the fori
Those who are the recipients of the Divyaapaatiga attai Lord Srinivasa quickly (kshipram). The reference to Kshatnland is
*
'
shows that the poet is thinking of the sloka extracted ab\ drawing our attention to the importance of Achary* sambandha, by which oven great sinners are capable of attaii ing beatitude. (Kshatrabandhu was a great sinner, but had tl fortune to come into contact with a sage who took pity c ^QK)d liirn. and became Ms Acharya, weaned him from his sinfulness, arbandittiTdtiBiately secured for
him
everlasting bliss).
Daya secures to us is sought to be contrast* with the plight of great beings like Brahma, Siva and so on, wl as a result of their meritorious actions (satkarma) hold high posThis benefit which
and
act as world-acharyas, jagatguras.
their posts
and do not get
release.
They are tied down They are themselves holdb
acharya-posts. The poet appears to suggest here that while achary continue in bondage, those who rely on acharyas get released.
IMnting of
this difference,
Desika txultingly thinks oft!
measure of protection extended to us and says that Daya DC like all mothers is more concerned with the welfare and well-being deficient and mentally incapacitated children than with those A mother is fond of all her childrc Hie clever and capably. but when one of them is unable to take care of itself, her concefor that child
beis
safe
and happy.
makes her ever think of it and help it in all ways So too Daya Devi the mother of all chetan;
taTce,
more concerned with the welfare of persons like us unable care of ourselves and who are helpless Li the extreme. TJ helplessness or kaarpanya is what earns for us speedy releaand the next decad with Saranaagati as its topic starts with 1 ' meamng exceedingly wretched and helpless. aitikripana*
DA YAA SATAKAMSIXTH DECAD.There are five docads decads and eight extra slokas preceding following it. It undoubtedly enshrines the central theme of the Daya Sataka viz., Saranaagati. This doctrine, one may say without fear of contradiction, is Vedanta Desika's gift to world-thought.dccadis
:hc contrc of this stotra.
it
and four
full
Earlier Acharyas had adopted Saranaagati as a direct means for But they had all left it to Desika to the attainment of Mukti.scientifically systematise it
mokshopaaya, Upanishad which said through Nammalwar
a
dir&ct
and propound it to the world as a sakshatmeans for moksha. From Svetasvatara " Mumukshur vai saranam aham prapadye,"
who
said
Lj+Qs&ir*&
riaaaair
^u^Qiu&r
s_3TaTjn^.^S^p Lf(&j'i(]>&(?6vr, to Rainanuja who gavs to us the Saranagati Gadyam,,it was all anushtaana or practice. It was Deaika who first synthesised the several relevant texts and^'f'/f^j*/
down in and by his numerous works that Prapatti or Saranagati For that an independ ;nt and self-sufficient upaya or means. reason he is known as Trw^^cr?^jT/-f^r: Prapadana-kalaaand &b * ^ r ?u who are like a beautiful; and at the same time strong andeous; bridge-way,inerable
quickly crosses the ocean of samsara full of
e city
huge and mighty wave-groups, and attains eternal wealth of Lord Srinivasa's Feet.
Note how the sloka begins with atikripana and ends with mdhanee? This change from dire distress to undiminishing th is what Daya alone can bring about.Asithilais
unbreakable,
unslackening.
Asithila
dharma
is
dharma, as defined by Valmiki through Sitadevi in " " words Viditassahi Dharmagnyaha Saranaagata Vatsalaha V equating dharma with saranaagataffMfj 3%: SK^PR--?^: Setu is bridge or dam across watsr. H>re Daya salya. :ened to a bridge across the ocean of Samsara and even a very ;nificant man can use the bridge and the pathway (padavee)nagati
ided
by
it
to cross over.'
The'
'
amita
'
(countless)
and
*
maha
'
and mighty),ot
oormijaalain
(wave-groups) tossing in the ocean*'
any manner, as he uses a safr bridge far above waves to cross over. The* words amitamahormijaalam nds us of madanapavanoddhootamahormimala of King isekhara in the Mukundamaala.affect* '
him
Once he goes to the other side, what is it he sees ? The great glorious lotus-feet of Lord Srinivasa which shine like a spacious glorious city padapattana. Pada is foot and pattana is city,inta
Donka who
is
known
h as for his great gnana,
for his outstanding vairagya, as shunned towns and cities. But tbure
two towns to reach which, and reside in whiqh, he Imd great Ont is Vrishaachalesa-padapattana; and the other is ing.chakravarti-pada-padma-pattana. The extra, word 'padma* in the case of Sri Bhashyakara speaks for itself. Desika's vasa Bhakti is excelled only by Desika's Ramanuja-bhakti.
Nityadhance>rtune
man. No more the vicisstitud^s a person a millionaire today and a pauper tomakingeternally rich
DAYAA SATAKAMafter rich for ever
81
and
ever.
By
his
good fortunt which made him
resort to
and
Daya as his saviour, he becomes the possessor of a vast undiminishing fortune.meaning lovely and charming indicates the attractiveness
ruchira
of saranaagati-marga as contrasted with, the other paths which are difficult and troublesome. The words adhigamya and atilanghyaare very significant.the. samsaric ocean.
Reaching Daya means and involves crossing
achiraatin noBecauseallit is
It is another very significant expression. time. a prapanna that quickly attains mukti, whereas only
and bhaktiyoga paths have
the other upaasakaas following the karmayoga to abide their time.
gnanayoga
SR^fcfN
Abhimukhabhaavasampadabhisambhavinaam\
bhannaami
kvachidupalakshitaa kvachid abhanguragoodhagatihi Vimalarasaavaha Vrishagireesadaye bhavatee.sapadi Sarasvateeva samayati
agham apratigham.n
(52)
Daya of Vrishagirinatha! Like the Sarasvati river, with its course visible in some places, and invisible yet unbroken in other places, and with pure rasa (water) you quickly destroy by your flowIhe irremovable sins of those wallowing in samsara, who possess that rare wealth of being favourbly inclined towards you.
O
The previous sloka ended with a reference to dhana, riches. It is abhimukhaThis sloka starts with a sampath or wealth. the wealth of aabhimukya towards Daya. Though bhdavasampath,
Daya
is
there ever ready to
come
to the rescue of the
weak and
the helpless, people do not easily take to her. Some, however, have the good fortune to adopt an attitude of aabhimulchya, a
favourable and favour-soliciting disposition towards is referred to here as a sampath or wealth.
Daya.
That
The sloka
is
river ..Saraswati.
couched in the form of a slesha for Daya and the Saraswati is one of- the three rivers that
82
DAYAA SATAKAM
the other two
contribute to the Triveni or confluence of three rivers. But unlike the Ganga and the Yamuna it is not visible at theIt is
place of sangama or union.
antarvahini,
ground. flow in places and an invisible underground current in other places. Fiven where the current is gooclha (hidden), it is abhangitra (unimpeded). It bears pure and pellucid water viinalarasaavahaa.
The
river is therefore referred to here as
flowing underhaving a visible
Rasasins
And it has tht power of banishing unpardonable is water. of Hose mortals who think of it fervently. It destroys sins by mere aahhlmukhya or fervent and faithful attitude towards itspurifying powers even without a bath inits
waters.
So too Daya.
Her flow
is
also visible to
some and on some;
occasions, and invisible and hidden to others and on other occasions but ever and anon she flows unimpeded and without obstacles. She invariably bears vimalarasa, pure and faultless affection and
those who friendship towards her votaries. And in respect of themselves in an attitude of fervour and faith in regard to her put
she wipes out their sins which are otherwise apratigha (unassailable)
For
'
bhavatee
*
thorc
is
another reading
*
vahasi
'
meaning
youto
flow.**
means quickly, at once. The moment one looks up for protection, immediately she rushes to his rescue and Daya quells his sins and defections which are obstacles to his progress.Sapadi'
Note the word
achiraat
'
in the previous slqka.
Srirnan V. V. Srinivasa lyengar who was a literary artist of a very high order, in addition to being a great Desika-bhakta, very beautifully suggested that the Sarasvatee referred to in this
sloka will take in not only the river Sarasvati, but also Yatecsvarasarasvatte, or the utterances of the great Yatiraja, Ramanuja.
This idea hasgreat
in the Sri Bhashya.
and
and pandits deeply learned in this sloka fits in with that Every epithet immortal work as it does with the river and with Daya.thrilled several scholars
DAYAA SATAKAM[pi
83
Karunel janasya Tarunenduvlbhooshanataam
apt Kamalasanatvam apt dhaama Vrishaadripateke\ "aratanmtaavasena lanute nanu te vitatihi
parahitavarshmana paripachelimakelimatee.
(53)
Karanadevi! By spreading yourself out sportfully with the sole impose of bringing about the welfare of others, you confer upon icoplc either the status of Paramasiva adorned with the yotn*g moon, >r the position of being a Kamalaasana (Brahma) or Paramapada >f L^rd SrMvasa according to the well-marked difference noticeable
n them .This sloka deals with sarva-phaia-pradatva (the capacity to all desired fruits) of Daya to those who resort to her for realisations of their desires. Contrasting the sentiment conthis
>estow.he
ained in:>e
sloka with that in slokas 41 and 42 above, one
must
surprised at Desika dealing with the aspect emphasistd in this ;loka, viz., that Dayadevi helps one to attain Brahmapada or
Roidrapada. But Desika has to postulate the efficacy of saranagati a means to all desired ends for persons who are not qualified One of the most important :o obtain the same by normal means.isis
pramaanas (authority) in favour of saranagati as a potent upaya the charama sloka of the Bhagavad Gita. It is from that sloka
among others that Desika derives authority for the afficacy of Saranagati. Desika has summed tip the meaning of that sloka in the following kaarika which occurs in Srimad Rahasyatrayasara:
From
this
it
is
clear that with
whatever end in view one
iiesorts,
to Prapatti or saranagati due to one's inability to secure the same by the proscribed mtans, the Lord fulfils his desire by substituting Himself as the Siddhopaya in the place of the prescribed nxe.a;is,
Thus saranagatiends.
is
a means not only for mukti but
for
all
If therefore a person fixes his mind upon, the greatness Mafeadeva and desires to attain that position, Dayadevi helps
proper of
Mm
to realise that desire.
Her very form (varshma)
*
is
parahita.'
(VMe
slka 26 above). So too in regard to the position of Chaturaiukha Brakma or Sri Vaikuntha of Lord Srinivasa. The spreasd of Daya knows no limitations. The word Vitati meaning spread remimds us of the likening of Daya to the river Saraswati and to similar
84
DAYAA SATAKAM'
comparisons with the other rivers to follow. The word kel means sport or pastime. Daya's sport lies in conferring hita c That the hita or good varies from person others, (parahita).1
person; and from stage to stagt> in the same person; is indicated t * the use of the word taratamataavasena/ according to diffcrenc
must be noted how Desika refers to Siva and Brahma. Sr Tarunenduvibhushana (a lovable person adornc is described as by the crescent moon). So too Brahma is referred to as kamaalaIt*'
*
one with the lotus-stat). Not only is there a tot absence of any want of respect towards those high personage but they are also described in attractive and sweet language.sana..
'
(the
n trividhagatyanukooldtarda Vrishagirinaaihapaadaparirambhavatee bhavatee Adviditavaibhavaapi Surasindhurivaatanute\
Dhritabhuvanaa Daye
\
sakrit
avagaahamaanam apataapam apaapam
apt.
"(5
the whole world;
Dayadevi! Like the Sura-sindhu, divine river, you support (protec you have also a threefold flow; you also embra
the feet of Vrishagirinatha;
even if your greatness is not understo< you make a person who immerses (takes refuge) in you relieved fro heat and sin.
Having likened Daya to the
river Saras vati in the previo*
sloka but one, the poet proceeds to compare Daya with Gani and also the Yamuna, This sloka and the next have been inte
prated by every commentator as referring to the Ganga only. Wit out any disrespect to those commentators I shall take leaveIt is
point out that either this or the next must refer to the Yamun not Desika's genius to refer to only some of a group. Tl
Ganga, theFurtherit is
Yamuna andvery rarely,
the Sarasvati are a well-known
tri
if ev^r, that
Desika repeats the same sen
ment in the same manner in successive slokas. Scrutinising t] words employed in this and the next sloka from this view poii
DAYAA SATAKAM.
85
Dritabhuvanaa (^fg^ll) *2. Trividhagatyanukoolataraa ( f^fc^Trag^fW ) and 3. Vrishagirinaathapaadaparirambhavatee (i^fr^i^r^fH^racft) Dhritabhu1.
the words as referring to the Ganga. to Daya and the Ganga are:
The
three attributes
common
vanaa when applied to the Ganga mean:; carrying water. (Bhuvana means water). Applied to Daya it means protecting the world (bhuvana meaning the world). Trividhagatyanukoolataraa meansfavourablefor the threefold flow meaning flowing in three the sky, the earth and the paatala. In regard to Daya regions it means helpful in regard to the three fold pursuits aisvarya, kaivalya and moksha. Daya helps an aisvaryakama (a seeker after wealth), a kaivalyarthi (he who runs after kaivalya or the:
enjoyment of the individual soul alone as distinguished from theThis paramatma), and the Mokshartbi (seeker after bliss). another form of Daya's sarvaphalapradatva (capacity to conferdesiredfruits).isall
The Ganga-
flowsit.
from the
feet of the
Lord and
is
referred to
here as embracing
Dayadevi similarly takes her origin
from
Lord
Srinivasa's paada. (vide Rooda-Vrishachalapateh-paade, sloka
18 above).
In the second half of this sloka it is pointed out that a person who takes a plungs into the fountain of Daya as much as a person who takes a dip in the Ganga, though he may not be aware of the or Ganga, gets rid of (beat) an and of andgreatnessglory
Daya
'-rig
(sin).
That one phmge
is
sufficient
is
indicated
by
sakrit
avagaaha.
A
in regard to knowledge of the greatness of the Ganga
its
for the bather, for even without purifying effect is not necessary the person feels relieved from a sense that, by bathing in the Ganga in the case of Daya of heat and gets cleansed of sins. So too mahimaa (greatness) still her though we cannot fully understand she makes us free from the taapatraya if we take refuge in her, the hand that and free from all our sins. Fire will not fail to singe
touchesLet
it
because
it is
not
known
to be
fire.
before the reader the interpretarespectfully place the sloka refer to Yamuna. tion of the words which will make be complete. The threeWithout the Yamuna the Triveni will not needed to to mean the flow of the rivers
me now
fold flow must be takenconstitute
'
a
Triveni.
The
attribute
paadaparirambhavatee
86
DAYAA SATAKAMif it is'
seems to be far more apt*
taken with the
Yamuna
than
Pariramba is embrace. the Ganga. from the toe of the Lord, but it haswaters of theis
The Ganga took its 01 nowhere been said that
Ganga embraced
the Lord's feet; whereas the
Yan
well-known for having frequently embraced the feet of the I when 'He came down as Sri Krishna. When Sri Krishna carried by His father Vasudeva from Muttra to Gokula, the w*of the
Yamuna
are said to have risen
up and embraced the
feafi in
ias .referred to Saraniiguii
w
the only
mtmg
,the
Aonl's
toart
!
taMaranin
(flpft*rt
wawiirta^) and has shown
and by
his
S
/Qadp (another work of Ms) the efficacy of Saranaa; direet means df salvation, As Raraattuja m mentioned' then Ywnuna, sand tte word etc., follows, we have to ta
DAYAA SATAKAM
91
should so much importance be attached to, their ideas and sentiments and conduct? The answer to that question, is, furnished by the first two lines of the sloka where it, is pointed out that they are persons specially blessed by the Lord with know-
Why
ledge and insight. This is described in a remarkably artistic manner by resort to the analogy of one of the arts the art of painting. Theyare exceptional men because their minds intellects have been shaped by the Lord Himself. They are Chitra-dhiyaha, men withbeautiful intellects, painted or sketched by the Lord Himself, that has, His seat in Yrishasaila, the Tirumala HilL He is-, referred to as a silpi or painter. Unlike ordinary painters who can-
Lord who
paint and reproduce on canvas only static and immovable objects this Painter can paint not only such Stira objects but also chara (moving) objects. He is thus a, stira-cham-silpi painter of b0t&;
kinds of
objects,. mobile as well as static.
He
it
was
thai sketched:
the beautiful intellect of those acharyas. So they are not. capable " " shows, the* extra; of error or ignorance. The word parikalpita
love
and care
that the
Lord must have bestowed, in
shaping- and!
sketching their intellects.the sloka point to yet another and a very important, and, significant reason why those acharyas* upadesa and anushtana are worthy of acceptance by all right thinking men. " They are, Tvat-udaya-toolikabhihi which, govern the word- pariToolika is the painter's brash, that with which, he sketches, kalpita,*'is
The opening words of
on the canvas. Here the brush used by this Silpi (Lord Srinivasa) one which exhudes Daya. Udaya is dawn, appearance. At
the tip of the toolika (brash) there is Daya' with which the mindk of those acharyas have been sketched. In other words Daya is the paint, the wat^r colour that is utilised to sketch the hearts of thosegreat acharyas.
The full beauty and significance of the language employed in this sloka and the sentiment enshrined ini it can be understoodonly if we remind ourselves of another sloka of this poet, (the ninth sloka in the 1st Canto in his beautiful kavya, Yadhavabhyudhaya) at the beauty and suggestiveness of which the great Appayya
Deekshita was himself very much struck.
DAYAA SATAKAM
Tvadudaya-toolikaabhiramuna Vrishasattajushastirachara silpinalva parikalpita chitradhiyaha\
Yatipatiyaamunaprabhitayaha pmtayantifagati hftam nanastvayi
Daye
bharanyasanaadadhikam
Daya
Devi! That king
charya, and others like them,nicely sketched
among ascetics (Ramanuja) and Yaai who had their beautiful minds (inte(Tirui
by this great painter residing in Vrishasaila
with ^capacity to paint immovable (unmoving) as well as me Amoving) objects with the help of His (Painter's) brush dip(the liquid paint that is) yoty
have laid down that
there
is notgi
or
more potent means
(for salvation)
than surrender
to you,
A
very beautiful sloka as lofty in its poetry as in its sentin The central idea contained in this sloka is that this Sarani
has been laid
down
to be the easiest
and
safest
means of
salva
of them are mentioned byname, YartS by great acharyas. " The rest are indicated by the etc." (prabrutayd and Yaamuna.Yatipati or chief
Two
among
Sanyasins
is
of course the
great SrPfa
nava Acharya Ramanuja (1017Sri
1137 A.D.) author of
the fain
'Bhashya (commentary on the
Brahma
Sutras).
Yaaraim
Ramanuja's preceptors* (he had five of them) preceptor. Hi more popularly 'known as Alavandar among Vaishnavaites, i was the grandson of Nathamuni, the first of the acharyas i]Saint Satakopa
(Nammalwar)
in the
heirarchy.
In his farm
Alavandar has suii^ of Saranagati in several plac has .referred io Saranagati as the only meaas ofxaj -Ramauiuja T* fcR^R 3nTm??T&-Oiie who has a desire for Paramatma will have no desir will have quelled and subdued all those othe for^other things i.e., desires. And thus he becomes a mriditakama whose wfelfar
akaamahata, not killed by
the small
:
Daya
looks after.
(4) Mahite.! means honoured, esteemed, revered, renowned This whole Stotra must be taken, -to be explanatory of this term. (5)
Dhrita-vibudhe! supporting the truly learned!
are truly learned have postulated that there is force for their protection than Daya Devi. her turn supports and protects suchto the necessity of shifting for themselves.
no
Those whc and poten And Daya Devi ITgreater
persons without putting their
(6) budheshu-vitata-aatma-dhuirelyou who have spread om your burden of protection with (or among) the wise acharyas! This is a very beautiful epithet employed by Desika to indicate that Daya Devi entrusts the safety and protection of those who
DAYAA SATAKAMto her for help
97
and succour., to the great Acharyas who are of the Lord, so beloved as to make Him refer to them in gavat Geeta as His Atma, (gnanee-tu-atmaiva-me-matam)ta is
very dear to Him (Sa-cha-mama-priyaha). The gnani of here referred to as Budaha (5'^:). Their greatness
previous sloka by the words Vrishagiri-jushahLra-silpinaiva-parikalpita-chitra-dhiyaha. As they are reposi.cated in the
f
Daya's protective
qualities,.
*ely on them for redemption
ordinary men and women This is known as the Acharya-
>rm of Saranagati.
e,
Madhure! Sweet! By nature Daya Devi even as a mother is to the baby.
is
sweet and
iagiri!
Vrishagiri-sarvabhauma-dayite! Beloved of the Emperor Daya is one of the Consorts of Lord Srinivasa.Sri,
een said before, that the other Consorts like)evis are,
dear
to.
the
Lord because the Lord
sees
Bhoo and Daya
in
them.
(Sloka 36).!
Storehouse of all mangalam (auspiciousBhavuka-nidhe The very first description of Daya in this Sloka was as anaa-nidhi (treasure-he use for the helpless). That nidhi or is here pointed out to be a bhavuka-nidhi, a treasure ofusness.er
having thus called
Daya in nine different ways,"
Sri
Desika
mayi-te-mahateemoola-haraam-lahareem-nidhehi,"-pray divert towards me ghty floods capable of uprooting this great tree of Samsara. to say, please destroy my connection with Samsara and>n
:nown to her his prayer in the words
me
the beatitude
tent of 'that Blissi
of the Highest Bliss. The nature and have already been described in detail in
decad.the sixth decad of this Stotra concludes with the perforprapatti by Desika even as the sixth Centurmm of Verse
is>f
tnalwar's
Tiruvoimozhi ends with the Alwar's aniishtaana
The effect of this anushtana or practice of 2) of prapatti. is seen in the following decads. The twofold aspect of that Daya renders to prapannas, v/z., Anishta-nivritti andaapti
(Removal of undesired fruits andis
realisation of desired
ispectively)
described in detail in the succeeding decads.
96'
DAYAA SATAKAMdenotes) and her heart melts at the sight of pain by others and she rushes to their relief.in this stotra.isz
Anu-kampa
distress suffered(2) (3)
Daye! The usual addressMridita-kama-hite!
Kamaare
desire,
desire
for
worla
pleasures,
Mridita-kaamaas
those
who have crushed
true welfare (hj quelled such desires. Daya takes charge of the so she is addressed here as Mridita-Kac of such persons and hite! Those whose hita or true welfare she has at heart are tb